


Psychologists Need Love Too

by BlueDoYou



Category: Epithet Erased (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-06
Updated: 2020-03-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:01:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23043676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueDoYou/pseuds/BlueDoYou
Summary: Sylvester Ashling is nineteen and living on his own now!  Wasn't prepared for how lonely it would be...
Relationships: Sylvester "Sylvie" Ashling & Cordelia "Cory" King
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	Psychologists Need Love Too

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Who0psyDaisy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Who0psyDaisy/gifts).



> I don't know how AO3 works so-  
> Gift for Jelly, I love you, Cory belongs to her!

"Shit!"

Sylvie groaned as he dropped the stack of paperwork he had been carrying. He was an absolute klutz, darn it. He blinked. Oh dang, he'd just... "Whoops, swear word, that's a dollar to the swear jar, I'm getting it Uncle Chap...py."

Sylvie paused.

Right.

The thing was, Sylvester Ashling had always longed for independence. His parents had always been busy, never around, and he had been so focused on proving he didn't need them. He had stayed with his uncles because he needed a caretaker when he was young, of course. Though, now that he was nineteen, he decided to leave the nest. Now, here he was, a two story house, big enough for a family, and he was the only one who lived in it.

Sylvie sighed, collecting his papers. Although this had been the goal in his quest for independence, it still felt lonely. That creeping feeling in his gut... he didn't like it. It distracted him from work, and Sylvie was a man devoted to his job. Possibly too much so.

Perhaps he could make it seem more like home?

Setting his papers aside, he walked into the kitchen. It was sparsely decorated, like the rest of the house, which only encouraged the sinking feeling in his gut. Uncle Chappy and Carlton always put trinkets around. He hadn't bothered with that, more focused on work. Honestly? The house looked barely different from when he had bought it, he had just added some furniture. Only room that looked different was his office, which was filled with paperwork, his computer, and an unholy amount of empty, highly caffeinated drink bottles. It was a mess, that's why it looked different.

He was getting sidetracked.

Sylvie raided his cupboard for a jar, upon finding it, he placed a dollar in it, his little swear jar. He set it on the kitchen windowsill, which was right above the sink, which had a few dishes he hasn't gotten around to washing.

This...

This sad attempt at reminding him of home did not make him feel better.

Sylvie had been living in this house- no. This empty abyss- for almost a week. It hadn't been this bad though until now. That was because the first while had been moving stuff in, which Uncle Chappy had helped him with, while the incorporeal Uncle Carlton offered encouragement. Even Giovanni and Molly had come to help, and the Kings. He hadn't been alone, now he really was all alone in this horridly empty house.

Sylvie didn't like that.

He looked at the fridge, the numbers of Giovanni and Molly were etched onto a sticky note that hung loosely on his fridge. He had their numbers memorized, but Giovanni had insisted he write them down in case the, "little kid," forgot.

He had never thought a memory of being called a "kid" would be a fond one. He sighed, reaching for his phone. Maybe he could call...? "No. I'm an adult, I don't need Giovanni and Molly, I'm independent!" He turned from the fridge with a determined huff, retreating to the living room couch.

Sylvie sat down, deciding he would instead plan out how to interior decorate to distract himself. 

Snagging his laptop, and a pen and paper, he began to draw the dimensions of his house, looking up some store's for decorating items, plus some articles on how to decorate, when the doorbell rang, echoing through his empty house.

Sylvie perked up. It must be Uncle Chappy and Carlton! Oh thank goodness. He wouldn't admit it, but he just wanted to be with his uncles. He knew they wouldn't be able to let him be on his own for long, and you know what? He was happy with that. He wanted them around. He expected to open the door and have them apologizing for visiting their "baby nephew." He wanted that!

What he did not expect was to open the door to a short blonde holding a basket. Cordelia "Cory" King. Percival King and Ramsey King's kid. A girl that, despite her unbearable sarcasm, Sylvie found attractive.

Good luck getting him to admit that.

"Cory? What are you doing here?" Sylvie looked at her curiously. "I expected Uncle Chappy and Carlton." Cory raised an eyebrow at him, as if her visit was obvious, or planned. It was neither of those things, at least to Sylvie. When he didn't respond to her eyebrow raise, she placed a hand on her hip.

"Sylves, isn't it obvious? I'm here to stab you twenty-seven times with my mother's sword, and have my dad help me hide your body." Cory's straight face was, admittedly, unnerving. Sylvie must have shown some sign he was creeped out, because Cory's expression changed to a sly grin, not that disturbing neutral face.

Cory chuckled. Sylvie, once more, gave her a confused look. "Nah, I brought cookies, housewarming gift, if you will. Ya can eat 'em, Mom didn't make 'em, I did." She winked. Sylvie cracked a slight smile. Percy was notorious for her terrible cooking. This was the woman who drank butter water as a treat, and ate a screw covered in honey. 

"I'm convinced she's a goat sometimes." Sylvie blurted. Oh shoot, he had just dissed Cory's Mom. Uh, UH-

"Baaaaaaaa, I'm a goat child. Now, ya gonna let me in or...?" Cory grinned at him. Of course she didn't take offense, Cory was just like that. She didn't mind silly things like that. Of course, she would be upset if you took a real jab at her family. But who wouldn't? Sylvie had gotten in fights himself when people had slammed his uncles for being gay when he was still in school. Sylvie was a firm believer that love is love, and it didn't just have to be between a man and a woman.

Then again, that's the mentality he was raised to believe, he knew from countless therapy sessions that some just didn't get that. He shook his head and stepped aside, letting Cory into his meagarly decorated house.

Cory set the basket she was carrying down on Sylvie's coffee table, opening it up and pulling out the aforementioned cookies, but she also pulled out a clear, rather fancy looking bowl that was wrapped in bubble wrap. Then she pulled out a Ziploc bag filled with a purple gem Sylvie recognized as amethyst. She poured the stones into the bowl.

"Figured ya might use these. 'Specially if I'm around." Cory grinned at him, setting it in the middle of the coffee table as a bit of a centrepiece. Sylvie cracked a smile. One part of decorating done, he guessed. That was comforting.

"I- thanks Cory. I've been meaning to get to decorating, that helps." Sylvie hummed, looking at Cory. She just offered him a smile. "I can help you with decorating if you want. I ain't got anything to do, just looking for places to live with University coming up."

Sylvie smiled. "I'll take you up on that offer now then." Cory grinned at him. "Whatever you say sheep man."

\--

They wasted the entire morning shopping. It had only been about nine a.m. when Cory arrived at his house, now it was two in the afternoon. Currently the two were trying to figure out how to put a shelf together.

"Cory, can you hand me the swirly looking screw?"

"Which swirly looking screw?"

"Like the one with a swirly top."

"Half of them have a swirly top."

"What do you mean half? The instructions say there's one with a swirly top."

"No, they don't."

Sylvie looked down at Cory, seeing her looking through the mass of screws on the floor. She held up multiple swirly topped screws, and Sylvie pointed at the correct one, and he used his drill to put it in.

There.

The small shelf sat on his, now decorated, wall, and they placed pictures on the small shelf. The King family, Molly and Gio, and his uncles. They were really the only pictures Sylvie had small enough for the frames he bought. When the shelf stayed up, they exchanged a grin.

"Look at that Ashling, the shelf didn't come tumbling down and kill us. I think that is an achievement." Cory flashed him a look Sylvie knew all too well. Ramsey's :3 face.

"You look like your Dad."

"How dare you! You look like him with your ponytail!"

"It is a very manly ponytail, mind you."

"Nope, it's the ponytail of a gross rat man who doesn't know how to shave."

"Hey! I shave unlike your dad!"

Cory burst out laughing. Sylvie blinked, glancing around. What? He did shave. Was she laughing about the fact her dad didn't? Ramsey didn't shave, and Sylvie was not a fan of Ramsey's hairy arms, legs, and- he shuddered- pits.

Nope. He shaved those areas. Plus, it made his patients more comfortable if their therapist wasn't a hairy bear. Molly was the only bear allowed in his office as far as he was concerned. Was Cory laughing at the fact he shaved? He couldn't help but feel self conscious over that. Yes, he shaved, and most boys didn't. So? He crossed his arms, and Cory seemed to notice his change his demeanor.

Cory straightened up, looking at him, her expression more genuine. "Sylves, I am not laughing at you. I'm just laughing at the fact my dad is, well, my dad. You think I care if you shave or not? I don't. I honestly would prefer you don't get all hairy like Dad. His hugs, I feel like I'm literally petting a giant rat. Honestly, you keep yourself clean, you've got your life together. It's admirable. I don't even, know where the hell I'm gonna live, and University is not too long away. I love my Mom and Dad, really, but I don't wanna keep living with 'em for University. Plus, it's a longer drive, I'd rather live closer. Just not sure how to, you know, snag a place. Looking to get with a roommate, make rent easier on me, but Mom insists on twenty background checks. I don't have the cash for the dorms or to live alone." Cory sighed, her hands going up to rub her temples. She closed her eyes. "Sorry about that, I just... Needed to get that off my chest. I don't wanna tell Mom and Dad how frustrated this is making me. They think I'm their independent little girl, and they're letting me figure out things myself when, well, damn, I can't." Cory's arms fell to her side in defeat, looking down, letting her bangs cover her face in pure shame. She sighed, feeling utterly conquered by this whole predicament. She was lost. Sylvie could see that.

Sylvie silently reached for her hands, grabbing them in his own. "Cory." She jumped up at this, looking up at him. Sylvie looked into her eyes, maintaining a neutral, but calming expression. "Cory. You're allowed to not have everything figured out. It's okay if you're nervous, and I know you want your parents to be proud of you. I want to impress my uncles by being alone myself, but, sometimes, you're confused. You're allowed to tell them your scared, or not sure of where to step next. They're your parents, and it is clear to me they care about you, and they would rather you explain yourself then bottle up your feelings. It's not healthy, and, I'm glad you told me. Tell them, they can help you. And hey, I live close, I can help you look! Tell people, we're here to help you Cory." Sylvie gave her hands a comforting squeeze.

Now.

Sylvie had been friends with Cory for years now. The Kings had adopted his best friend, Molly, so of course he had hung around Cory a lot. Over that time, he had developed strong feelings toward her. So, because of them being friends, they had hugged before. The four of them, Giovanni, himself, Molly, and Cory, were all pretty cuddly. It was just the way their friend group worked.

But when Cory let go of his hands and wrapped her arms around him in a hug? Sylvie felt a lot of different feelings. Mixed feelings. He wrapped his own arms around her as well, returning the hug. He liked Cory, that much he knew, but having her form pressed so neatly into his?

It felt fucking right.

Sylvie gently ran his fingers through her ponytail, holding her closely.

They stood there for a while, just enjoying the other's presence, when Sylvie shot up, letting go of her, causing Cory to tense up. "WAIT-"

Cory flinched back, and Sylvie blinked. "Uh... Sorry, I just had an idea! Like I said, I live close to the University. This place is big, and kinda lonely. You already helped me pretty much decorate my entire first floor, excluding the guest bedroom, and I wouldn't mind being roommates with someone. I uh, miss my uncles, might help me honestly. You could stay here with me? Two birds with one stone?" Sylvie scratched his neck awkwardly, embarrassed by his little outburst. He flushed red.

Cory relaxed, taking a deep breath. "Ya scared me Sylves! Thought you were mad I hugged you! Well, I can talk to Mom and Dad about it, and, if they agree with it, we can figure out how to do it, sounds like a good plan Sylvie! Thanks, really. Glad I can help clear your crippling loneliness too. Psychologists need friends too, eh?" Cory grinned at him, and Sylvie nodded, letting himself relax.

Cory chuckled. "I better head out before Mom freaks and forces Meryl and Eros into finding me. I'll talk to you later Sylvie, you got my number. I'll make sure to see about living with you. Sounds like a good idea!" Cory excused herself to the door, waving goodbye. Sylvie stood at the door, making sure she got in her car before leaving the door to go to the kitchen to make dinner.

The sticky note on the fridge with Giovanni and Molly's number... It now had a new number on it, Cory's. She must have written it. He smiled to himself. Once again, he knew Cory's number, but it was still nice. He paused to just enjoy the warm feeling that came over him before snatching a thing of Ramen out of one of the cupboards.

The doorbell rang again.

Huh, did Cory forget something?

Sylvie walked to the door, opening up, not to see just the blonde he had seen not too long ago.

Cory was not the only one at his door.

There stood the form of Giovanni Potage, and Molly Blyndeff, as well as Cory.

"How dare you move into a new house, and not invite us over for a sleepover within the first week. This is a criminal offense, and I would know!" Giovanni proclaimed, gently bopping Sylvie on the head. "That is your punishment villain!"

Sylvie blinked. "Giovanni you're twenty-four is a sleepover-" "QUIET MY BOY IT IS SLEEPOVER TIME!" Giovanni let himself into the house. Molly quickly apologized for him, and Sylvie merely shrugged. He expected this. Molly nodded and ran after Giovanni. Cory just grinned at him from outside.

"Long time no see Sylvester Ashling." Cory hummed. Sylvie put a hand on his hip. "Right back at you Cordelia King." The two grinned at one another, and Cory let herself into the house, just as Giovanni and Molly had.

"Oh, Sylvie?"

"Yeah?"

"Forgot to mention you're cute when your embarrassed."

As Cory went to go join Giovanni and Molly, Sylvie stood by the door, a flustered, blushing mess.


End file.
